Sophie
by sslgg2000
Summary: Spoby years later.
1. Chapter 1

**Hii welcome! I hope you will like this story :) I don't own anything**

"Blue eyes, brown hair, and a dimpled chin. This must be no other than Sophie Hastings. How is my little girl today? " an enthusiastic Aria exclaimed. The little toddler ran into her aunts open arms with an excited squeal.

"Auntie Aria!" Sophie gasped between screams of joy, "I miss Auntie."

"You mean you missed her." Spencer lovingly corrected.

"That's what I said mommy. Why I say it again?" the little girl questioned with the most adorable expression on her face. She seemed to be deep in thought, seriously considering her mother's nagging. Spencer laughed at her daughter as she shook her head, before turning to Aria to give her another hug.

"Sophie I brought a present back from Iceland for you. Why don't you go see if you can find it? You'll have to go on a quest to look for it." Aria said knowingly, a small smile gracing her face. She knew how much Sophie loved adventures, just like her mother. Sophie was out of the room in an instant and the two friends could hear the soft pitter patter of the toddler's feet going up the stairs. Aria turned to Spencer and gave her a look Spencer knew all too well.

"What's wrong? You should be happy. You just got back from your honeymoon and from the looks of you two together, you're still in the honeymoon phase." Spencer gave her high school friend a gentle rub on her back.

"Oh, nothing's wrong with me. Ezra and I had the best time; I'll save you the details no doubt you'll hear them when Hanna stops by." Aria gave a forced laugh and Spencer immediately caught on. She knew she should question Aria's strange behavior but thought better of it. Maybe she was just tired? Spencer wanted so very badly to begin her ruthless interrogation but knew that now was not the time. Sophie would come bounding down the stairs any moment now, interrupting their conversation. "Later." Spencer thought.

As if on cue, the three year old stumbled down the last two steps, bracing herself for impact. "Indiana no fail mommy. Look!" Sophie extended her arms to display a rectangular box wrapped in a treasure map pattern. The toddler looked to Aria to which she received a nod of approval and an encouraging nudge on the shoulder. Spencer let her squirming daughter down, noticing that she was trying to rip the paper off the box with one hand while the other wrapped securely around her mother's neck. Once free of all restraints, Sophie shred the paper in two seconds flat and began bouncing up and down with her opened gift in hand. "Belle,Belle, I got Belle! Thanks Auntie Aria!" Sophie enclosed the petite woman with a tight squeeze, still exclaiming about her new doll. "I be waiting for Belle!"

"That's right Sophie. I remembered you told me that Belle was your favorite princess and that you really wanted the doll. I stopped especially for you after I got off the plane this morning." Aria lit up at the girl's excitement. Spencer stood back and took in this moment, snapping a few pictures before Sophie noticed and tackled her for the camera.

Spencer and Aria sat on the leather sofa in the living room, delving into Aria's honeymoon tales.

All too soon it was five o'clock and Spencer knew she had to leave and make Sophie some dinner. Spencer was well aware of the fact that like mother like daughter, Sophie would be a nightmare if her blood sugar dropped. So, with a round of thank yous and goodbyes the duo retreated to the silver Kia outside. "We have to talk later Spencer. I need to tell you something and we need to be alone. Call me when Sophie goes to bed!" Aria was heard screaming from the window.

"Mommy I'm ungry." Sophie whined.

"You're _hungry_. Remember the 'h' sound. And mommy knows you're hungry. As soon as we're home I'll make dinner. What'll it be: Hamburgers or pasta?" Spencer questioned.

"I don't like hamburgers. Yucky!" Sophie made sure her mother understood her request.

"Sweetie that's what I meant. I know you don't like burgers. Turkey burgers it is. We're already home so dinner should be on the table in no time. Help mommy set the table when we go inside, okay? If you do that, we can eat even faster. Big girls always help their mommies because they're nice. " Spencer made sure her daughter was informed from the start. She never liked being left in the dust by her parents so why should she do that to her daughter? Sophie usually knew the schedule and the game plan; something Spencer felt would make Sophie have more stability and dependability. Spencer unbuckled Sophie and walked her up the steps of their front porch, unlocking the decorative wood door.

Sophie helped her mother arrange the table while singing to the radio. The doorbell rang shortly after and Sophie waited patiently for her mother to answer the door to unveil the mysterious visitor. After a few minutes, the bell rang again and Sophie concluded that no one was going to answer the door. Feeling very grown up, Sophie skipped over towards the noise, barely reaching the top lock on her tippy toes. Once the door was unlocked, she swung it open and greeted the tall man.

Spencer turned to peer into the dining room and noticed that Sophie was nowhere to be seen. She turned to look into the modest foyer and realized that Sophie was talking animatedly to someone in the doorway. "Sophie Hastings what have I told you about opening the door to strangers. You could get hurt or taken or-" Spencer's lecture came to a quick halt at the sight of the man standing right before her eyes.

"Toby."

Spencer tucked Sophie into bed, explaining that she had such a busy day so she needed her rest. Sophie would have fought her mother about going to bed early but was so tired that she immediately drifted off into what seemed to be a peaceful slumber. Spencer made her way back down the stairs to finally get to the bottom of why Toby was here, in her house, tonight.

"Now enough with the small talk. Why are you here? Why did you come back?" Spencer was tired of beating around the bush. She had grudgingly participated in the dinner conversation and now she had reached her limit. If Toby didn't explain himself soon he would be getting a swift kick to the ass and the boot out the door.

"I came to talk to you about what happened four years ago." Spencer gestured for him to get on with it. "Can I ask you something?" Toby knew he was stalling yet at the same time he was desperate for some answers.

"You have the nerve to come here after all of these years and ask _me_ a question?!" Spencer nearly screamed, only lowering her voice as to not wake Sophie. Her eyes were daggers and Toby immediately regretted letting his curiosity get the best of him. He was digging himself an even deeper hole and boy did he know it. Spencer was now tapping her foot, hands on her hips, staring at the wall. Toby knew this stance. It was anger _and_ hurt. He had hurt her and that was the very last thing he had ever wanted to do. Tears were threatening to escape her eyes and Toby realized that she was staring to stabilize her emotions. Some things never change…or maybe they do. Before Toby left he was beginning to see Spencer's whole range of emotions and now she was guarded; an entire defense line had been put up. A defense line for _him_.

"Fine if you won't talk then I'll talk for you. How could you? Gentle and sweet? No, I should have never changed my mind about you. I was right- you are the devil! How could you sleep with her? Even worse, how could you force her into it?"

"I- I- I didn't do it." Toby began. No, no, no. "It was a mistake."

"So which is it?" Spencer tapped her foot out of sheer frustration.

"A mistake? How am I supposed to believe anything you say to me? Heck, you began this conversation with a lie." Toby was talking to a brick wall. Spencer would never forgive him after a mere speech and a few minutes. "I trusted you! My family practically disowned me after finding out why we broke up!


	2. Chapter 2

Spencer tucked Sophie into bed, explaining that she had such a busy day so she

needed her rest. Sophie would have fought her mother about going to bed early but

was so tired that she immediately drifted off into what seemed to be a peaceful

slumber. Spencer made her way back down the stairs to finally get to the bottom of

why Toby was here, in her house, tonight.

"Now enough with the small talk. Why are you here? Why did you come back?"

Spencer was tired of beating around the bush. She had grudgingly participated in

the dinner conversation and now she had reached her limit. If Toby didn't explain

himself soon he would be getting a swift kick to the ass and the boot out the door.

"I came to talk to you about what happened four years ago." Spencer gestured for

him to get on with it. "Can I ask you something?" Toby knew he was stalling yet at

the same time he was desperate for some answers.

"You have the nerve to come here after all of these years and ask me a question?!"

Spencer nearly screamed, only lowering her voice as to not wake Sophie. Her eyes

were daggers and Toby immediately regretted letting his curiosity get the best of

him. He was digging himself an even deeper hole and boy did he know it. Spencer

was now tapping her foot, hands on her hips, staring at the wall. Toby knew this

stance. It was anger and hurt. He had hurt her and that was the very last thing he

had ever wanted to do. Tears were threatening to escape her eyes and Toby

realized that she was staring to stabilize her emotions. Some things never

change...or maybe they do. Before Toby left he was beginning to see Spencer's

whole range of emotions and now she was guarded; an entire defense line had

been put up. A defense line for him. "Fine if you won't talk then I'll talk for you. How could you? Gentle and sweet? No, I

should have never changed my mind about you. I was right you are the devil! How

could you sleep with her? Even worse, how could you force her into it?"

*** "I I I didn't do it." Toby began. No, no, no. "It was a mistake."

"So which is it?" Spencer tapped her foot out of sheer frustration.

"A mistake? How am I supposed to believe anything you say to me? Heck, you

began this conversation with a lie." Toby was talking to a brick wall. Spencer would

never forgive him after a mere speech and a few minutes. "I trusted you! My family

practically disowned me after finding out why we broke up!


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Hanna went to Spencer's house

"Did you sleep last night? You look like a strung out power puff girl." Hanna questioned, soaking up Spencer's current appearance.

"Gee thanks Han. And for the record, considering the night I had I don't look too horrible." Spencer defended although it was quite evident that Hanna did not agree. The blonde began to evaluate Spencer's wardrobe choice and disheveled state. Spencer had on a high-waisted beige skirt with a simple white blouse, once previously neatly tucked in, now puffing out in every direction. Her hair was matted around her face, a huge knot forming in the back. Spencer's eyes were red and puffy and her mascara had bled down her cheeks and onto her shirt.

"Yeah, you do. Get up and take a shower before you tell me what happened." Hanna commanded. Before Spencer could object, Hanna quickly added "I've got Sophie; she's still sleeping. I know where the food is and where her clothes are for when she wakes up. Go. Now." With that, Spencer brought herself up to her feet and dragged her body up the stairs. She made a quick right and walked to the end of the hall to reach her bedroom.

Turning on the shower, Spencer stepped in to appreciate the feeling of complete warmth. She stood motionless for a few minutes simply reliving the night before, everything rushing back to her. Once Spencer finished cleaning herself up, she stepped out onto the cool slate floors, flinching at the contact. "This is just my screwed up life." Spencer spoke numbly. Even when things were finally settling down and she began to find some peace, something always had to remind her that her struggles would never be over. There would always be one thing to haunt her- the past.

She blow dried her hair and pulled it back into a makeshift ponytail before applying a thin layer of makeup. Slipping on a pair of simple black capris and a flowy white blouse, Spencer retreated downstairs. "Much better; I approve." Hanna appraised her high school friend.

"Thanks, I feel a bit better too."

"Now, tell me about last night." Hanna pressed, desperately searching for the thing causing her friend to be so upset.

"Toby's back. He came and Sophie answered the door, inviting him for dinner. They got along really well and that itself made me ready to cry. I mean what right does he have? Showing up out of the blue, befriending my daughter, lying to me. Did I mention that he told me that everything was a mistake?" Spencer quickly rubbed at her eyes to remove any traces of her tears. Hanna grabbed her hands and put them at her side, pulling Spencer into a tight hug.

"Auntie Hanna!" Sophie exclaimed, attaching her small body to her aunt's leg.

"I guess the little monster is awake." Hanna smiled lovingly at the petite girl, momentarily letting go of Spencer.

"Rawrrr!" Sophie began to swing her arms and march around the kitchen island. And that was exactly what the ladies needed; a good ole hardy laugh. After a few minutes, Sophie stopped and pointed to her stomach. "I think me tummy wants to be a monster too."

"Come on monster let's get you some breakfast." Spencer shook her head at her adorable daughter. "I bought us a special treat for today…" Sophie began pleading her mother as impatient as ever. Spencer chuckled as Sophie began to beg like a little puppy, barking and all. "We're going to make chocolate chip pancakes!"

"For reals?" Sophie asked, looking at a stunned Hanna. Spencer rarely let Sophie have candy unless it was after dinner or a special occasion. Spencer nodded and everyone shuffled around the kitchen to grab the ingredients.

After a good hour of mixing the batter and cooking the pancakes to perfection, the three girls sat down to breakfast. "This good mommy. You like Auntie?" Sophie asked politely.

"Very tasty." Hanna gave Sophie a high-five. "You are an excellent chef Miss Sophie."

"I love them." Spencer added. "Even if we did make the world's biggest mess." Spencer threw a playful glare at Hanna.

"It didn't say to hold the bowl!" Hanna defended to the two giggling girls. "How was I supposed to know that the mixer would knock it off the counter?"

"Common sense Han. But all's well. This morning was exactly what I needed." Spencer stated sincerely, expressing her gratuity.

"Well if I didn't give you a push now you'd walk out wearing mom jeans and platform flip-flops."

"Hey!" Spencer swatted at Hanna's arm even though she knew Hanna was only teasing. This would be a better day; Spencer was sure of it. The sun had come out and even if the clouds still tried to block its rays, Spencer knew that light would come again tomorrow.

Spencer awoke to an incessant ringing next to her ear. As Spencer was drifting off back to sleep, vowing to return to her mess after catching a few more z's, Sophie came bounding in, diving onto her bed. The little girl crawled over to her mother then tactically placed herself on her mother's flat stomach. This elicited a groan from Spencer as Sophie began jumping up and down, eager to get her mom's attention. "Sophie mommy is very tired. A tired mommy is a cranky mommy. What is the matter at…four in the morning?!" Spencer exclaimed, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"I thought it was wake up time," Sophie replied simply. "I heard ringing and you were talking and then a boom noise. Do you have the grouchies?" she asked, jumping from one subject to the next.

"No baby, just the yawns. It's very early; you usually sleep for another hour." Spencer smoothed her child's bed head hair. "But we can get up now. Let me just clean up the glass first." Spencer slid Sophie onto her queen size bed, slipped on her gray ballet slippers, then walked into her on-suite bathroom, grabbing a towel. "Did you sleep okay sweetheart?" Spencer looked up from her mess to find her daughter huddled in a tight ball, sucking her thumb. "Guess that answers my question." Spencer chuckled to herself. "Please turn on. Please," she chanted quietly to her phone, scolding herself for being so careless. "Wow. That bad luck wastes no time."

Releasing a disgruntled sigh, Spencer brought herself to her feet, more than ready for her morning cup of joe. Once Spencer finished her fresh batch of heaven and poured herself a mug, the house phone decided now was a wonderful time to let out a holler. "This better be good. I'm up with the moon and have not been given the chance to take a sip of my morning coffee," Spencer answered the call, feeling rather irritable.

"Oh I'm sorry. I believe I told someone to call me right after her three-year old went to bed two nights ago. We need to talk Spencer."

"Aria? Really, four in the morning? My phone is now dead due to you. The funeral's tonight. I don't know if you'll be invited," Spencer deadpanned.

"Spencer this is serious. I can't wait any longer! I have been up all night staring at my phone." Spencer instructed her to go on even though she heard the hesitation in Aria's voice. "It- it-it's about T-Toby. He's back. I-I saw him at the airport," she stuttered, fearing her friend's reaction.

"I know," Spencer answered numbly, forcing herself to remain emotionless.

"But…how?" Spencer practically spelled out the entire series of events from the time Sophie answered the door to the moment she forced him out. "I'm so sorry," was the only thing Aria could think to mutter.

"I really have to go. I'm out of bed so I might as well take the time to get things done before Sophie wakes up. Talk to you later Aria." With a single press of a button, Spencer ended the call, knowing that she had lied. Allowing her tears to fall, Spencer took the razor and sliced the underside of her foot with one firm swipe. Toby really didn't know what he had done to her. But that was Spencer Hastings; impenetrable to all except for her one Achilles heel.


	4. Chapter 4

Sweat pouring down his drenched face, Toby awoke, his heart beating at an abnormally fast pace. "If only it was just a dream," he panted, now in tears. Toby's sleep had been bombarded with memories of Spencer and his heartfelt apology but most of all, he had dreamt of Sophie. "How could this girl be anyone else's? She has my eyes and is tall for her age. Oh and her age. Three years plus nine months is around the time Spencer and I had our first time. I need to talk to her." Toby rolled out of bed practically sprinting out of his apartment to his truck. He had never been able to sell his baby; the truck was Spoby as Hanna had put it, who deemed it their couple's name.

In a matter of five minutes, Toby had managed to arrive at Spencer's home, completely ignoring the various speed limit signs posted every few hundred feet. Knocking quickly on the door, Toby heard Spencer complaining about everyone getting up so early and being so annoyingly loud. When she opened the door she just about slammed it right back in his face.

"Stop Spencer; we need to discuss things." Toby began as he stopped the door with his foot. "I want to know more about Sophie."

"What's there to know? She's my daughter, she's three, she has brown hair and blue eyes, and oh yeah, you're never seeing her again."

"Spence let me in." Grudgingly, Spencer opened the door, leading Toby into the living room.

"Make it quick," was all she could muster.

"Who is the father of Sophie?" Toby pleaded, desperate for the answers that clouded his mind.

"Coffee?" Spencer walked into the kitchen, Toby on her heels, acting as if nothing had happened a moment before. As she was pouring herself a fresh mug, Toby whipped her around, holding her in place so that she was facing him.

"Spencer don't avoid this. I deserve to know if I have a daughter and she deserves to know if she has a father!"

"Yes okay?! Is that what you want to hear? This answer doesn't change anything! You don't get to waltz in here and have Sophie call you daddy. You are not and will never be, her dad. Biologically, yes, but every day, no." Spencer removed Toby's grip on her arm and resumed making the coffee.

"You can't blame me for that. I didn't know! You never told me! Spencer, how could you not have told me?" Toby's angry face faded into a single question of pure hurt.

"I didn't know until after you left. And besides, why would I tell you after what you did to me? I-"

"Mommy what's going on?" a sleepy Sophie walked in, rubbing her eyes. The young girl tugged on her mother's skirt to pick her up. Happily obliging, Spencer lifted the curious toddler and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Mommy was just having a conversation with Toby; do you remember him?" Sophie nodded but then shook her head, confused.

"Did you have a sleepover party without me?" she pouted, pointing to Toby's pajama pants. Spencer looked up and realized for the first time that Toby had never gotten dressed. She watched as Toby grew red in the face, finally realizing what he had forgotten in his haste. However, Spencer could hardly concentrate for all she was focused on was Toby's rock hard abs. The body he had years ago had been maintained well and Spencer was practically salivating. "Mommy hello; earth to mommy; Sophie's calling."

Snapping out of her daze, Spencer turned to Sophie, placing a hand on her hip. "Having a slumber party without my favorite girl? Are you crazy? Mommy would never do that," Spencer said goofily as she tapped Sophie on her tiny nose. "Toby was only stopping by to say hello. He has to go to work soon. Isn't that right Toby?" Spencer shot him a deathly glare before smiling back at her daughter.

"Yeah I better be going. Bye Spencer; bye Sophie." Toby struggled to say her name without giving away his sorrow.

"Bye! Come back soon. We still have to make somtin!" Toby heard Sophie calling to him as he descended the porch steps, a tear falling onto his palm. Toby had no idea what he was going to do, but he knew that staying there would only make things worse. He couldn't decide how he felt about Spencer lying to him. But wasn't that was he was doing too?

"We're going to be late Sophie!" Spencer called from the kitchen, sipping her coffee. Almost immediately Spencer heard the quick pitter patter of her daughter's feet. "What happened to the clothes we picked out last night?" Spencer laughed, assessing her daughters wrinkled and mismatched outfit.

"Renember when I went to Lily's house? She had a bear with clothes on and then the connercial said to draw. In the washer we got marker off. You suppose to." Sophie explained innocently. Spencer mentally face palmed herself before explaining to her young toddler that the markers were made especially for the toy and therefore washing her clothes may not get the marker out. "I sorry mama. I like that shirt," While taking the ten minute drive, Sophie spoke animatedly about career day and how there would be so many visitors. She was looking forward to all of the activities planned for the day and Spencer could not help but smile at her interested daughter. She certainly did have her mother's love of school…"Have a good day Soph!" Spencer hugged Sophie at the main entrance of the building. Seeing that Sophie made it safely into her preschool, Spencer left the parking lot and headed towards Hollis College.


	5. Chapter 5

"Spencer read my lips: Toby is telling the truth," Emily tried for the tenth time in the last hour. Noticing that Spencer was still staring dreamily up at the ceiling, engrossed in the diamond tiles above, she banged her head on the table.

"Be careful you don't combust. You'll spray coffee everywhere and I'd rather not clean that up," the sarcasm came dripping through.

Emily's head shot up, her eyes wide, a pink mark forming above her left eye. "Is my Spencer back?" she questioned excitedly, adding flames to the fire of hope in her chest. But Spencer was gone again, off in her own little world. Emily could not decipher this message. "Did Spencer want her to drop the subject? Was she getting the silent treatment? How is Spencer staring up so long? Doesn't that hurt her neck?" was the steady flow of Emily's racing mind.

Finally, she took a more direct approach. Yanking Spencer's arm and practically dragging her out of the café, Emily set off for a more private location. Settling between the café's right wall and the boutique's left, she came to a sudden stop. She let go of Spencer's arm only to stare into her clouded orbs and say quietly, in a teary whisper, "Please listen." At that point Spencer's face was quickly fading and she broke at the sound of her best friend's pleas.

Toby was walking by when he heard a little noise on his back

"Renember me? I Sophie! We going to make sometin right?" Toby could hardly believe his ears- Sophie liked him?

"You really want to build something? You're really excited, aren't you?"

Nodding her head enthusiastically, Sophie exclaimed "Yepppers! I want to make stuff and I renember you saying you would help me." Toby's heart dipped down for a second when he realized that Sophie only smiled at him because he would teach her his line of work. Yet again, how would she ever know? How would he ever be given the privilege to father their amazing creation? Spencer wouldn't even let him within walking distance he assumed. Before he could contemplate his sorrows and mistakes any longer, Sophie was dragging him by the hand to his desired destination.

Toby quickly arranged the tools and supplies he had brought, opening the booth just in time. The little three and four-year olds wandered into the auditorium and Sophie drifted off somewhere into the crowd. "Just when I get started, they run away," Toby sighed sadly.

In and out of the crowd weaved students and teachers, breezing by every booth until one grabbed their interest. Toby held onto to some of his audience for a while but soon they would leave, noticing that the person in the next booth was a baker who gave out sugar-filled treats. Approximately fifteen minutes later, a familiar face looked up at him expectantly.

"Hello Ms. Sophie. Would you like some help today?" Toby gave his best impression of a sales associate.

Sophie immediately caught on and joined right in. "Yes Mr. ummm Toby," she finished after the whispered detail from the blue-eyed man. "I like to make my letter. I want S."

"Coming right up my darling. Actually, I need some help back here. Would a nice lady like you be able to lend me a hand?" Toby questioned with a knowing smile on his face. All too quick to oblige, Sophie made her way behind the booth and climbed on the pieces of wood piled up next to her. Toby secured a hand around her waist to ensure her safety on the uneven and moving wood while placing a pair of goggles on Sophie's petite face. He placed a neatly shaven square slab in front of them before grabbing a tool used for carving. Guiding Sophie's fingers to the safe end of the sharp object, Toby locked his hands around hers and went through the motions several times. Eventually he placed the tool back down and dusted off their piece of art. "Go to the other side and close your eyes." Sophie readily took off her goggles and was around the table in one minute flat. Toby expertly coated the carving with a fast drying stain before instructing Sophie to count to three then open her eyes.

"One...two...three!" The look on the brunette's face was absolutely priceless. She was standing with her mouth hanging open, her tiny hands plastered to her cheeks. "I love! I love!" Toby would treasure this moment forever.

"You made it- this is some excellent work here. You're a natural," Toby said as he ruffled the hair on the top of her head.

"You helped! My mommy will love this super much!" And with that, Toby's face began to fall as his heart melted all too fast. Spencer would never accept this and Sophie would never remember the first time she made something with her dad.

"I thought this was for you. S for Sophie."

"No silly, it be mommy's birthday next week and I need a present," Sophie explained.

"Oh, well that is very sweet of you." Toby once again felt the young girl lift his spirits. She loved her mother so very much and if Toby wasn't allowed to do the same, then Sophie could for the both of them. At least Spencer could have a little piece of him even if he couldn't have a small part of her.

"Sophie you need to come with us, we're going to go back to the classroom very soon," a petite woman came by, tapping Sophie on the shoulder.

"Yes Miss Nikki," Sophie said. "I just got to say bye to my friend. See what I make?"

Admiring the work of art Sophie was displaying, the teacher high-fived the bright little lady. "That is wonderful." Looking around the pieces Toby had on display on the table, she rubbed her chin. "Do you work on houses?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do," Toby stated proudly. "I'm a carpenter and a bit of a designer if I do say so myself."

"That's great! My house is being remodeled and I just love intricate finishes. Would you be interested?" Absolutely agreeing, Toby took out one of his business cards and handed it to his future customer.

"He really bestest Miss Nikki," Sophie cut in, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"I can tell. Why don't you run along dear and get in line with your classmates. I'll be right over to walk everyone back to the classroom." As Sophie skipped towards her babbling friends, the sly teacher reached over with her pen and made a note on Toby's forearm. Before he could even object, she was gone.

Needless to say, he spent at least twenty minutes in the little boys' room, desperately trying to scrub the ink off of his arm. Although his mutterings scared a few of the preschoolers, Toby was too absorbed in the blue ink to notice. Maybe he wouldn't have a new customer anytime soon…just maybe...no, he definitely wouldn't have a new customer anytime soon.

"What did I do, what did I do, what did I do?" Spencer could not keep herself from repeating that one simple question. A thousand thoughts raced through Spencer's mind as she tried to take a seat at her dining room table- promptly falling to the floor from her lack of concentration- a scream of sorts escaping her mouth.

"Mommy got a boo boo?" Sophie asked as she skipped through the front door, Aria walking slightly behind her.

Getting up and straightening out her rumpled clothing Spencer hugged Sophie and responded with "No, Mommy is just being silly today." Looking to her petite friend Spencer added "And thanks Ar for driving her home. I owe you one."

"No problem; I've missed my little princess," Aria said as she ruffled the hair residing on Sophie's tiny head. "And I kinda sorta missed a certain tall brunette too." Laughing, Spencer engulfed Aria in a tight squeeze, realizing how crazy the week had been. As Sophie scampered up the stairs to begin her homework per usual, the two friends took a seat on the living room couch, trying to catch up.

"No I'm serious. I saw Ezra talking to Jackie and felt like a crazed teenage maniac on the verge of ripping someone's hair out."

"Seriously? Wow, you've got some competition," Spencer joked. Aria playfully punched her in the arm, smiling when Spencer let out a "hey I'm fragile."

"So what's new? Gossip please. Toby-themed is preferable."

"I swear, you're a mini Hanna. Nothing is new in that department." Aria responded with a look that read are-you-kidding-me-there-is-always-something-new-and-Toby-has-been-around-an-awful-lot-this-past-week. "Okay, okay," Spencer relented. "He knows that Sophie is his daughter, that I want nothing to do with him and neither does she, and that I am even angrier now that he has admitted to being A," Spencer huffed out in one breath, almost too quickly for Aria to pick up the words escaping her mouth.

"Wait…what? Toby's A?!" Aria screamed, grabbing Spencer by the shoulders.

"Yeah, told me this morning after classes. Emily was there too but she was oh so supportive of his confession," Spencer glared, acknowledging the fact that she needed time to process this newfound information.

"There has to be more; Emily would never do something to hurt you. She's harmless."

"You seem to forget her and Jenna, her and Nate, and her and Mona," Spencer scoffed.

"Every rule has an exception Ms. Math is my Middle Name. Besides, you're not even trying to convince me- I can see that you're trying to convince yourself. You just don't want to believe that there is any good in people. Believe me, I didn't want to either; in fact, I bet that none of us have. You know why?" Before Spencer could respond, Aria held up a hand, successfully muting her stubborn friend. "We have been kicked around for years, been met with murder after murder, found friends to be enemies and enemies to be friends, all in all our lives were screwed from the start. You've eaten one to many raisin cookies."

"What?" Spencer gave way to an almost bemused grin.

"Chocolate chips are the friends of life. Raisin cookies are the reason I have trust issues. Duh," Aria exclaimed before proceeding with her point. "No bitch can be trusted is practically our motto. Everything is out to get us because it feels like no one has ever been there to catch us. We try to stay strong but my god if we don't learn that not everyone is revenge-hungry and killer-crazy, we are going to end up in matching green uniforms in a mental institution. Yeah, I went there!"

"Wow, take it easy Pipsqueak," Spencer shrugged out of Aria's death grip on her shoulder. "I do not have trust issues or people issues for that matter. In fact, I'm even going out with a guy this weekend." Wishing she could face palm herself for letting that piece of information slip, Spencer cursed under her breath. Spencer was confused to why she even accepted Wren's proposal in the first place, let alone why she would go bragging about it to her friend. Yeah Wren was nice, but there was a lot she wished was different. What, she couldn't yet decipher, but she knew there was something telling her that Wren shouldn't be trusted. _"No, I don't have trust issues, lighten up. It's just a date. Wren is a great guy..."_ Spencer's thoughts trailed off.

"Really, with who?" Aria asked as a smile graced her face. The girls had been trying to set Spencer up for ages. Hanna claimed it was because Spencer seriously needed to 'get some' so she would take it down a notch, or maybe more like twelve notches, but both Aria and Emily knew that Hanna was worried about her. The girls wanted Spencer to be happy and realize that there is such a thing as love. They wanted her to reach a point where she no longer had to parent a child on her own and didn't have to hide who she was to her family. All three girls knew that there was more out there for their Spencer and tried to get her to see it too.

Realizing that Aria would never allow the guy to remain anonymous, Spencer mumbled a simple "Wren."

"Wren, as in your sister's ex-fiancé? Wren, as in the sexy British doctor? Who would've thought." Aria murmured to herself.

Hearing enough of Aria's rambling, Spencer said "Yes and yes. I met him today for coffee and we really hit it off." Spencer knew she was bending the truth a little, okay, a lot, but it was what had to be done. Maybe if the girls saw that she was finally moving on, they wouldn't realize that she was slowly breaking down too.

"I'm happy for you," Aria stated, fake smile and all. Aria wasn't sure of her feelings for the guy and for that reason, was worried for Spencer's sake. Her friend didn't need any more relationship woes and Aria hoped that Wren would prove himself to be a good boyfriend. "I should probably go. Ezra's waiting for me and I haven't started dinner yet and-"

"Aria, don't worry about me. I'm glad we got to catch up. This week was a nightmare. Talk to you later; we all have to get together soon," Spencer interrupted, hugging the tiny woman. "Sophie, come give Auntie Aria a kiss goodbye!" she yelled up the stairs. Ever so gracefully, Sophie came tumbling down the last few steps, tripping upon impact, but nevertheless falling into her aunt's awaiting arms.

"Bye Auntie! Love you!" Sophie waved out the window as she watched Aria drive away. "Mommy what's for dinner?" Spencer laughed at her daughter who never seemed to experience the feeling of being full.

"Come on Munchkin, let's feed your hungry tummy," Spencer smiled as she lifted her daughter up and strolled into the kitchen.


	6. Chapter 6

Dinner had long passed and the light from the sun was slowly disappearing when Sophie jumped onto her mother's large bed. "Mommy, I gots surprise for you!"

"Really, a surprise? Why my little girl is as sweet as they come. What is it?" Spencer played along.

"I can't tell you or it wouldn't be a surprise Mommy." Sophie threw up her hands in exasperation. "I made it at Career Day." Spencer began guessing, flattering Sophie, before initiating a tickle war. When the two finally stopped laughing Sophie leaped off the bed saying "Catch me if you can! I leprechaun." Remembering her daughter's obsession with leprechauns, after one to many St. Patrick's Day celebrations with the gang, Spencer chuckled. Arriving in Sophie's room, Spencer approached Sophie, getting down to her eye level. "Here mommy."

In Spencer's hands laid a Dora blanket folded in a thousand different directions and held together by the sparkly hair bands she had bought for Sophie last month. There was a picture lying on top of the blanket that seemed to be a heart filled with many smaller hearts in red and pink crayon. "Aww," Spencer put a hand over her mouth as she felt her heart tingle. Carefully unwrapping the mysterious object, Spencer pulled the present out from its protective shield. She was immediately silenced, tears brought to her eyes instantaneously. When Spencer's voice began functioning once more, she looked up into her daughter's gleaming eyes and saw no other than Toby staring back at her. "You made this baby?" Spencer croaked.

"Yes I make it. Toby helped me. I hit him by accident and we talk. Then we made letter." Sophie stated proudly.

"Wow, this is beautiful Sophie. Thank you." Spencer pulled her daughter onto her lap and ran her fingers through Sophie's silky tresses. Although this salted so many of the raw wounds Spencer still had on her heart, she was no longer crying out of pain. Her daughter, _her daughter_ , was just like her father. One of blue eyes, calm like the sea, and hands as smooth as the carving she held in her sweaty palms. One of such love and so full of life that Spencer could never deny was still there. Her daughter was not only hers, but that of the Toby Cavanaugh Spencer once knew and from this point forward, would always know.

"Mommy do we get pampakes?" Sophie trudged over to her mother, wiping her eyes of the sleepiness she felt. Latching onto Spencer's leg, she silently conveyed her wish to be held and of course Spencer happily obliged.

"No baby, we don't have pancakes. Come to think of it, we don't really have much of anything." Spencer immediately regretted not going grocery shopping the night before for her lack of time. She had not been shopping in two weeks which meant that the two were down to butter, jam, and a few slices of bread.

"But mommy," Sophie whined, "I hungry."

"I know sweetheart. I have an idea. How about we go out for breakfast this morning? We can go and you can get anything you want for that growling tummy of yours," Spencer stated as she tickled her daughter's stomach.

"Yes pwease!" Sophie exclaimed,

Within the next hour, the two were good and ready to leave their house, Sophie bouncing up and down once more. Both beginning to feel the hunger creep into their now rumbling stomachs, they eagerly settled themselves in the car, Sophie with the help of Spencer of course, and were on their way to the local diner. "We there soon?" Sophie questioned, patting her tummy thoughtfully.

"Yes," Spencer looked up into her rearview mirror, "Do you have an appointment or something?" Spencer teased as she pulled into the small parking lot and unbuckled her seatbelt. Opening her door, Spencer got out of the car and made her way over to Sophie's side. She released Sophie from her booster seat in record time and the two walked over to the classic diner.

"What would you two like to drink?" The waitress, Mai, asked.

"I'll take a coffee, black, and I believe she'll take a child's chocolate milk." Looking to Sophie, Spencer saw the nod of approval and confirmed their drinks to Mai.

"Look mommy! The menu has a coloring page!" Sophie exclaimed, liking this diner more and more by the second. Spencer ruffled her daughter's hair until she jumped at the sound of a loud knocking. Turning confusedly left and right, Spencer noticed that outside of the window someone was waving hello. She gave a half smile and a hello back, before attending to her recently placed cup of coffee. In a matter of minutes, the same man was approaching their table and Spencer bit her lip in anticipation. The universe sure had a way of pushing her out of her comfort zone ten times too early.

"Hi Spencer. Hello Sophie." Toby greeted the two girls a bit bashfully.

"Toby!" Sophie leapt up and dove into Toby's toned abdominals. He responded quickly and wrapped his arms around the girl he knew to be his daughter and looked up to Spencer to catch her reaction. Spencer seemed interested in Sophie's brashness but did not appear angry, which Toby took as a good sign. "Mommy renember Toby? I made the letter for you with him!"

"Right Sophie, I remember. You did such an amazing job kiddo," Spencer praised. Smiling, Sophie returned to her seat but not before insisting that Toby ate with them.

"Mommy we friends right? We can all have yummy tummy together!" Sophie pleaded, giving her famous puppy dog eyes that Spencer could never say no to. Toby sat down happily but warily, aware that he had little idea where he and Spencer stood after their last discussion.

"May I take your order?" Mai asked as she strode up to the table, setting down another cup of coffee for Toby.

"Pampakes pwease!" Sophie clapped. "Oh and chocolate chips," Sophie dared to look at Spencer, her hands grasped at her chin. Spencer nodded that she was perfectly fine with her daughter's choice before turning to face Toby expectantly.

"So," Toby began, "I was surprised when Sophie told me that the 'S' was not for her room, but a present for you."

"I love my mommy." Sophie stated simply before returning to her connect-the-dots activity.

"I was too. I had no idea you would be there on career day. I do love it though," Spencer said as she placed a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. Toby smiled inwardly at the interaction between Spencer and Sophie.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about that day." Toby chewed his food slowly as he waited for the worst- her anger coming out to tell him to stay out of their lives from this point on. "Thank you for helping her." He almost dropped his fork out of pure shock. "She has always wanted to make something and you wouldn't believe how persistent a three- year old can be," Spencer chuckled.

"It was nothing; she found me and took it from there," Toby smiled. "She's a natural and knew exactly what she wanted."

"Yeah, she can be a bit…stubborn," Spencer offered to which Toby laughed with a slight nod of his head.

"Like mother, like daughter." Spencer playfully swatted at his arm before joining in on the laughter. "This is nice," Toby said, continuing when he saw Spencer raise her left eyebrow, "I mean, I miss talking to you," he confessed.

Gathering all of the courage she could muster, Spencer responded with not the easy answer, but the honest one. "I've missed you too," she stated genuinely.

"Mommy I don't feel so good." Sophie dropped her fork with a loud clang and clutched her stomach.

"Sweetheart what is it?" Spencer pressed. When Sophie opened her mouth to respond, she began to get sick all over her clothes and the table. The vomiting wouldn't stop and Spencer was up on her feet in an instant trying to help her daughter. "I have to get her to the doctor's Toby." Spencer had scooped her very ill child into her arms when she noticed that Sophie had stopped emptying the contents of her stomach. A moment of relief washed over the two adults until Sophie became limp in Spencer's arms. Looking down, Spencer saw her daughter slip off into a sleep that no shaking would awaken her from…

"Hello 9-11, how can we help you?" a stranger's voice came smoothly from across the line.

"My- I mean she just…I don't know- she's unconscious," Toby's shaking voice spoke hurriedly.

"Sir for us to help you, we need you to stay calm. Now-"

"A three-year old girl was fine just a short while ago. Then she began vomiting and couldn't stop. When she finally did, she passed out in her mother's arms."

"Okay and your location?"

"We're at the _Broadway Café_ on Willow Street, PA," Toby rushed out.

"Okay we have a code B1 Yellow," said the man on the other line. "Sir, we've dispatched our team. Please stay on the line with me. Now, tell the mother to hold the girl lengthwise, on her side."

"Spencer!" Toby whipped his head around to find the commotion devouring Spencer and Sophie alike. Elbowing his way through the newly formed crowd, he finally reached his destination. Looking up in despair, Spencer pleaded with Toby to continue. "Hold her like this," Toby instructed, moving Sophie in Spencer's arms. "Okay, she's all set," Toby relayed to the operator.

"Good; now take her pulse. We have to keep an eye on the vitals." Toby reached his hand out to touch Sophie's reddening neck, counting the beats for one minute, then two, then three. "Have you gotten a pulse?"

"80," Toby breathed.

As the vehicle sped off towards the hospital, Spencer and Toby looked on helplessly as the man who had taken Sophie laid her down on a small table, before being joined by another technician.

"60!"

"103!"

"Oxygen!" The two EMTs continued to spout their findings.

"What are they talking about?" Spencer turned to Toby, panic flooding into her voice. "Toby, what's happening?" Spencer asked desperately as she shook Toby's arms.

"I don't know; I'm sorry, I don't know," Toby responded. "We'll find out soon. Everything will be okay," he soothed, erasing all of the uncertainty from his voice. Within three minutes, the ambulance had arrived at the hospital's broad entrance. Rushing to open the back door, the blonde-haired woman lifted Sophie and brought her to the gurney the other technician had rolled to the back of the vehicle. Placing the three year old down gently, she turned to the two sitting mute on the sidelines. "We're rushing her to a CT scan, listen. I know things are very stressful right now but in order to help your daughter the physicians must test her first. The best thing for you to do is to check in at the main desk. Someone will alert you when news becomes available."

Seeing that Spencer could not formulate a response, Toby stepped in. "Thank you…Jennifer," Toby said as he read her simple name tag. Pulling Spencer outside and leading her towards the revolving doors, Toby tried to calm his nerves in order to help Spencer through her pain. They approached the desk and received attention once Toby explained that they were here for the three year old who was just admitted. "Name please," the woman asked as she peered above the rims of her thick glasses.

"Sophie Hastings," Toby replied.

"Age and birthdate?"

"Three, October 2nd 2009," Spencer replied hoarsely.

"Relation?"

"Mother, Spencer Hastings, 21 years old."

"Yes, yes, and yes," the woman mumbled as she typed the information on her outdated desktop computer. "I need your insurance card, driver's license and both social security numbers." Reaching into her wallet, Spencer began shaking, taking notice of her daughter's picture showcased proudly inside. It was taken while she was at preschool, sometime during the first week of school. Spencer could not believe that her daughter was three and in school upon receiving the pictures. She wished more than anything that she could return to that moment of blissful ignorance, back to where she didn't know this was to come. Sensing Spencer's hesitation, Toby guided the information from Spencer's hand to the clerk's before whispering promises he knew he had no control over. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hastings," a nurse in blue scrubs greeted.

"I'm not-" Toby began before waving his hand dismissively. "Never mind. How's Sophie?"

"Sophie has been diagnosed with a severe concussion. She-"

"Will she be okay?" Spencer rushed out, anxiety tearing her at the seams.

"I'm sorry but we don't know yet," the nurse replied solemnly. "Her pulse is dropping so we are monitoring her closely with an electrocardiograph. She's in ICU for this reason. We have her on oxygen and are running some more tests."

Spencer stared at her lap to ask the question that troubled her most. "When will we know if she's okay?"

"It could be days. A mild concussion usually entails a patient waking up anywhere from a few hours to approximately seven days. But the length of unconsciousness is at the mercy of the severity of the concussion." Spencer took this information as well as any parent could, loudly heaving in and out. "I'm sorry but I'm being paged," Cara apologized.

"Thank you," Toby stated sullenly. He turned to Spencer, feeling her slumped back arch and dip as she tried to control her breathing. "Spencer," Toby murmured as he lifted her chin up so that she was looking him in the eye. "She'll make it. She'll be okay."

"I need a distraction," Spencer stated, upon the realization that being trapped in her thoughts, counting the seconds, was not helping the situation at all.

Taking this suggestion well, Toby began to think of ways to help the girl beside him. He was glad Spencer was more responsive, seeing as the last few days she would brush everyone off and barely utter a word. "You know," Toby said, thinking back to one of the hospital magazines he had read a couple of days ago, "I read that talking about the person who's hurt can really make everyone feel better. The patient can hear it too, even in this state," Toby explained.

"I guess we could give it a try," Spencer rasped, not sure if she would be able to handle this. Squeezing her hand reassuringly, Toby provided Spencer with the little bit of strength she needed to continue. "What should we talk about?"

"Well, maybe you can fill me in a little bit on a few things because three years is a long time to miss," Toby spoke with regret. Seeing Spencer nod her head in approval, Toby asked his first question. "Hmmm. Why don't we start with an easy one? How did you decide on the name Sophie?"

"It's kind of a funny story," Spencer chuckled, a bit embarrassed to explain the real reason she picked the name. She had never told anyone, even her friends, the obscurity of it all, but here she was talking to someone she hadn't trusted in years, openly confessing her secrets. Seeing that Toby was interested, Spencer continued. "The night before I went into labor, I watched the movie "Mamma Mia." Spencer paused briefly for another sip of her black coffee. "Have you ever watched it?" Toby nodded but hated to admit that he actually sat through the entire movie by himself, enjoying every minute of it. "I named her after the daughter Sophie who didn't know who her father was. It was also because I figured if you ever came back, I'd react a little bit like her mother. Crazy and angry and confused too."

Amused, Toby let out a small laugh. "You didn't sleep with three guys though did you? I'd hate to have to share little Soph," Toby teased jokingly. Batting his arm, Spencer released a giggle as well.

Spencer recalled. "I grabbed our camcorder and made sure I got it on tape. She was so happy with herself that she kept repeating it over and over again. Not that I minded."

"I wish I could've been there," Toby ran a hand over his mouth.

"Maybe one day you will…" Spencer comforted. "See her learning new things, I mean." Toby smiled appreciatively at Spencer before averting his eyes to the sleeping girl in front of him.

"Maybe I will…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Thankyou for reading this I really love that you are enjoying this as much as I am. Sadly it's coming to an end probably one more chapter after this**

 **and maybe a sequel so if you would like a sequel tell me! I get more inspiration from knowing you will read it to :)**

 **At the hospital the doctors told them they can enter Sophie's room**

"Mommy?" a weak, small voice rasped. Spencer covered her mouth is surprise, instantaneously wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"Yes, sweetie. Mommy's here."

Spencer turned back to Toby, pure shock and relief present in both of their faces. Before they could stop themselves, they leaned in and their lips brushed over one another's. Out of joy and longing, the two greedily hungered for more, Toby pushing his lips harder onto Spencer's tender ones. Spencer tangled her hands around Toby's neck as she pulled back, breaking the lip lock. "Our little girl is here."

"And she always will be."

Pulling up into her narrow driveway, Spencer turned off the engine in her car and began her ascent up the stairs. She unlocked the door quickly and made her way into the dark house, shedding her coat and keys in the closet and on the table beside the door. "Hello?" Spencer whispered, wondering where everyone was.

Walking up the stairs, Spencer speed walked over to her daughter's room, still looking for Toby and Sophie. Spencer walked into the decent sized room and made her way over to Toby. "I never thought she'd be asleep. She won't go to sleep for anyone when I'm not home," she awed.

"I guess I just got lucky," Toby smiled bashfully.

"No Toby. I'm the one who's lucky. Sophie never could have wished for a better father," Spencer praised, genuinely feeling better about giving herself over to Toby. Putting his arm around his girlfriend, Toby placed a delicate kiss atop Spencer's chestnut locks, staring at his sleeping beauty.

"I just wish I would have known sooner. Maybe I could have been in Sophie's life," Toby spoke with true remorse.

"You've always been here," Spencer looked into his crystal clear eyes. "I've made sure to keep you around. I always said good things about you when Sophie asked, even when I wasn't completely sure that I believed them. I kept the rocking chair too," Spencer motioned causing Toby to give a befuddled stare. Spencer pointed to the toddler bed that was beautifully crafted in every way possible. It was slender and sleek in a deep wood that was perfectly smooth and breathtakingly beautiful. "I had someone take the rocking chair and make it into a bed," she explained, a look of love clearly written across her face.

Toby immediately enveloped Spencer in his warm embrace and refused to let her go. "Thank you…for not giving up on me."

Spencer waved goodbye as Sophie nestled into her mom's warm embrace.

"I miss you mama."

"I missed you too sweetheart," Spencer cooed, gently petting her daughter's hair.

"Is he going to stay for dinner?" Sophie flung out an arm as she blindly moved it towards Toby, her head still cuddled into her mother's stomach. Spencer looked up to Toby, silently asking if he was willing. Nodding slightly, Spencer assured the little girl that her friend would be staying for dinner without a doubt. Sophie visibly brightened and let out a small squeal of joy to express her enthusiasm.

"Baby, why don't you start your homework. Toby can help you," Spencer offered, remembering that Toby had asked that they try to ease Sophie into the idea of Toby being around the family.

"Really? You help me?" Sophie asked.

"Of course Sophie," Toby smiled as he walked with her to the dining room table, grabbing her pink and purple fairy book bag on the way. Watching them work together with a hand over her heart, Spencer sighed as she turned around to conquer their first dinner as a family.


	8. Chapter 8

**So this is it. The last chapter Enjoy :)**

"What was the bestest part of da day mommy?" Sophie questioned, putting another piece of chicken on her tiny fork. Toby looked to Spencer and she was happy to clarify.

"Sometimes at dinner we talk or play games. We do these types of things quite often actually." Nodding in understanding, Toby turned to Sophie who was still staring at her mother patiently. "I would say my favorite part is this dinner," Spencer ceded. Sophie nodded before deciding this was an acceptable answer and clapping her hands. "Toby you got to clap. We clap for bestest day," she wagged her finger. Toby had joined in and laughed along for a short time when Sophie had redirected her question to Toby.

"I think I liked doing homework with you," Toby smiled as Sophie pretended to fan herself.

"My little drama queen," Spencer added, chuckling along with the pair. "So Sophie, what was your favorite part of the day?"

"We gotsa to do art today! We made a tree; I'll show you!" Sophie exclaimed as she hopped down from her booster seat and bounced towards her flower patterned folder. Showing it to her intrigued audience, it was soon discovered that the tree was that for a family. "But it's not as good as the other kids," Sophie whined, slightly disappointed in her work.

"I love it Sophie," Toby commended. "I think you made something very nice."

"But the other kids have more people. Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?" the three-year old questioned innocently. "Did I make him go bye-bye?" Sophie began crying as Spencer hastily lifted her daughter into her arms and rocked her soothingly.

"No; why would you ever think that? Who wouldn't love my little baby?" Spencer brushed the tears from her daughter's reddened cheeks.

"Anna said that dadda's leave be-be-because they don't like you!" Sophie sputtered, evidently immensely distressed. Toby looked for an opening, a time in which he could squeeze a few words in to help her, but Spencer beat him to it. Without even looking at Toby for permission, Spencer turned Sophie around to stare into her crystal blue orbs.

"Well, Anna is wrong. Your daddy didn't know about you because mommy wasn't able to tell him. But I told him now," she breathed deeply, exhaling slowly.

"I have a dada? He like me?"

"I don't just like you Sophes," Toby admitted, pulling her from her mother's lap, "I love you."

"Dada you?" Sophie looked to her mother who simply shed a tear and gave a reassuring nod.

"Yes sweetie; I'm your dad," Toby's eyes puffed as he cried a bit more.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Stay." And with that one word, Toby's heart was filled with relief and happiness. There would never be a day when Toby would go against what he had just heard for that word was a miracle and a thing of true beauty.

"Forever," he promised.

"And always," Spencer added.

"'Til dead does us parts!" Sophie concluded, earning giggles from her parents.

"We're not getting married Sophie," Spencer tickled her daughter.

 **Hope you enjoyed it! This is the last chapter but thanks for your support and tell me what you think I may start the sequel soon :)**


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